This striking portrait of Queen Mary (1867-1953), set within the Garter Throne Room at Windsor Castle, was a present to King George V from the Queen and the Prince of Wales for Christmas 1914.

Queen Mary is painted standing full length in the robes and star of the Order of the Garter. She wears the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara which was a wedding present. Here it appears in its original form, set with 14 large pearls on top. In 1914 Queen Mary decided to adapt the tiara to take brilliants as an alternative to the pearls. The oriental vase in the background is present to emphasise the Queen's passion for oriental objects. Queen Mary's diary entry for Sunday 1 March 1914 records that …'After Luncheon we went to Mr. Llewellyn's studio to see the picture he has painted of me for George & which David & I are giving him, it is very good…'

An autograph version, dated 1930, is at Queen's College, University of Oxford.

Llewellyn was born in Cirencester, on 1 December 1858 and decided early on to become an artist. He trained at the National Art Training School (later the Royal College of Art), South Kensington under Edward Poynter and afterwards in Paris in the studio of Ferdinand Cormon. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1884. In 1912 he exhibited the State Portrait of Queen Mary at the Royal Academy, and was elected an associate. In 1920 he became an academician and in 1928 was elected President. In 1918 he was appointed KCVO and in 1931 promoted to GCVO. He died in London on 28 January and his funeral was held at Westminster Abbey; his ashes are in the crypt at St Paul's Cathedral.